


One More Chance

by TheWolfWithinMe



Category: Primeval
Genre: Angst with a hint of hope, Connor screws up but is very sorry, Established relationship between Connor/Nick, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 13:49:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21303110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWolfWithinMe/pseuds/TheWolfWithinMe
Summary: Connor cheats.
Relationships: Nick Cutter/Connor Temple
Kudos: 2





	One More Chance

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a fluffy Christmas story, but my angst filled heart said no. So we get this instead. 
> 
> Xander is my OC, and basically here to fuck things up for my OTP. 
> 
> Nick suffers, because apparently that’s what you do to your faves. Lmao. 
> 
> Ihatemyself.

Snow was falling onto the London streets and inside the ARC, a transformation was taking place. 

Connor and Abby had wrapped lengths of glittery silver tinsel around the desks, the anomaly detector, the ramp leading up to the higher level, and even around some members of staff too.

Namely Stephen and Cutter. 

Pulling a face, Stephen yanked the decoration free—sending a shower of silver dust into the air in the process—and lobbed it at Connor’s retreating figure. 

“You need to put a leash on your boyfriend, Nick.” He huffed, brushing glitter off his shirt. 

“He’s just excited.” Cutter responded, keeping his makeshift necklace in place. He watched fondly as Connor draped another piece of tinsel around Lester, a chuckle escaping when the young male quickly scarpered down the ramp again, Lester hot on his heels. 

“He’s like a puppy.” Stephen commented, scrunching up his nose. 

Nick couldn’t deny that. 

xxx

The ARC soon looked Christmassy. 

There was even mistletoe hung from certain ceilings, and the staff learned very quickly to avoid those places. 

Stephan had already got caught under it with Lester, both men silently challenging the other to say something. When neither did, they both went in separate directions; expressions murderous. 

Every time Connor saw Nick heading towards one of his mistletoe traps, he would appear out of nowhere and linger — casually – in place, only to be disappointed when Cutter diverted at last minute. 

“Playing hard to get, Hm?” He muttered to himself.

Suddenly one of the soldiers appeared beside him, dark eyes glancing upwards. “Is this your idea?” He asked lightly, gesturing at the mistletoe. 

Connor nodded with a pout. “Trying to get a kiss from Cutter.” He glared at Nick, who was standing across the room talking to Abby. “But it’s impossible.” 

The soldier, who Connor remembered was called Xander, had a sly smile on his face. “You need to make him realise what he’s missing.” 

“Huh?” 

But before Connor could expand on his confusion, Xander pulled him closer and placed a very deliberate kiss to his lips. 

It was nice. Warm. And Xander tasted like salted caramel.—

—But he wasn’t Nick. 

Still, if it made Cutter jealous, then it would be worth it, right?

Someone wolf whistled and they broke apart, Connor looking unsure and Xander offering him a reassuring smile. 

The soldier promptly left, purposely walking past Cutter, who looked like someone had just punched him. 

Connor lingered beneath the mistletoe, fully aware that everyone’s eyes were on him. His cheeks reddened under the intense stares. 

He risked a glance at Nick but swiftly averted his gaze again at the stormy expression on the professor’s face. 

Luckily for him, the anomaly detector blared into life, putting the new anomaly at the top of everyone’s priority list. 

Rushing over, he tapped frantically at the keyboard, zoning in on the co-ordinates. 

“New forest. Just outside the town of Brockenhurst.”

“Alright, lets go,” Cutter replied, voice devoid of any true emotion. “Stephen, you’re with me. Abby, go with Connor.” The storm was still brewing in Nick’s eyes when he finally looked at the young male. “Take Xander with you as back up.”

“But—...” Connor started. 

He didn’t have time to elaborate though as everyone hastily grabbed their things and made for the door. 

His plan had royally backfired. 

xxx

At the anomaly site, Connor sat to one side, laptop on his knees. He could see Cutter and Xander talking amongst themselves, but couldn’t hear what either man was saying. Nick seemed annoyed and Xander appeared to be trying to calm him. 

Connor sighed. This was all his fault. 

He kicked at a clump of snow and checked the anomaly again. Nothing had come through yet and he was starting to freeze. 

“Your boyfriend is not a happy bunny.” A voice beside him said, making Connor jump. 

He looked up as Xander crouched down, pretending to inspect the laptop. 

“Of course he’s not. I kissed you. That’s classed as cheating, isn’t it?” Connor said bitterly. 

“Actually, I kissed you. So he should be angry at me.” Xander collected a handful of snow, patted it into a ball, then flung it at Nick. It hit the older man in the back of the head, causing him to curse loudly. 

He spun around and eyed both men irritably before striding over. “We’re here to work, not play.” 

“You’re right, Nick.” Xander replied, holding both hands up in surrender. “But I had to get your attention somehow.”

“You could have just called...” 

“And where’s the fun in that? Besides, I’ve already crossed a line with you, so may as well enjoy my descent into Hell.” 

And with that, he got up and left. 

Nick just glared at Connor, who stared guiltily back. He had so much he needed to say, with ‘sorry’ being at the top of his list, but no words came out. 

“Was it worth it?” The professor asked icily. 

“No, of course not.” Connor responded quickly, struggling to keep himself seated. He wanted to get up, to beg Cutter for forgiveness. But they were at work and he didn’t want to embarrass the older man anymore than he already had. 

“Whatever. I hope you and Xander are happy together.” 

Connor felt his heart speed up... and then die. The cold outside was nothing compared to what he was feeling internally. His whole world was crashing down around him, and he was powerless to stop it. 

“Nick...”

“No, Connor,” Cutter held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”

xxx 

“He hates me.” Connor said miserably, holding a mug of coffee between his hands. The freshly brewed liquid did nothing to ease his mood. 

“Well, try and see it from his point of view,” Abby soothed, “He saw you kissing someone else, in front of everyone. How would you feel if the roles were reversed?”

Connor knew how he would feel. Angry. Jealous. Upset. Hurt. 

“I wouldn’t like it,” He muttered, “In fact — I would hate it.” 

Setting his untouched drink back down on the table, Connor fixed Abby with sad eyes. “I’m such an idiot!”

Abby grimaced in somber agreement. “You are. Besides, you know Xander hates Cutter.”

This was news to Connor.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Well... when Xander started a few months back, he made some... unprofessional and inappropriate comments. About how Nick was too old to run the anomaly project.” 

“What?!”

“Cutter didn’t tell you?”

No, he didn’t. And Connor’s face made that very apparent. 

“He used me... to hurt Nick.”

Springing to his feet, he snatched up his scarf and slung it around his neck, before adding a jacket. “I need to see him. Make things right.”

xxx

If only he could find Nick.

He checked the ARC, Nick’s house, and the local bars. All yielded negative results. 

At a total loss, Connor fished out his phone and called Stephen, who picked up on the third ring. 

“Is Cutter there?” He blurted out.

“Why?” 

Because... I have to make things right, Connor thought desperately. 

“I just need to see him.” 

Stephen paused, then released a deep sigh. “Fine, but I hope you know what you’re doing. He’s not in a good shape.”

xxx 

Abby kindly let Connor borrow her mini, so he was at Stephen’s apartment in less than ten minutes. 

Knocking on the door, he silently practiced what to say, though none of his imaginary apologies sounded sorry enough. 

After mere moments, Stephen opened the door. His fingers remained gripped on the edge, as though he was debating whether or not to let Connor in. At the latter’s expression, he relented, pulling the door open wide. 

“Be gentle, okay? He’s upset.”

Connor nodded, slipping into the apartment and immediately searching for Nick. 

He found the older man sat on the couch, glass of whiskey in one hand. Cutter’s eyes were red, and Connor knew instantly that he had been crying. It just made him feel even guiltier. 

Stephen issued an excuse and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them both alone. 

“Nick...?” Connor tried gently, staying a small distance away from the other man. 

Cutter lifted the glass to his lips and downed the entire drink in one swallow. “What do you want, Connor?”

“To apologise... for... for everything.”

“Bit late for that, don’t you think?” Nick grabbed the bottle off the coffee table and poured himself a fresh drink. 

“Even if it’s too late, I still want to say it.” Risking rejection, Connor moved across the room, sitting himself down beside Cutter. “The kiss meant nothing... because he meant nothing. Not to me. He said to make you jealous—“

“Of course he did.” Nick muttered.

“—And, and before I knew what was happening — he kissed me. But I wanted it to be you. And I should have pushed him away... God, I’m such a fucking screw up.” Dragging a hand down his face, Connor eyed the professor miserably. “I love you, I love being with you and I ruined it. Just like that.” He snapped his fingers. 

Nick watched him carefully; his expression alternating between disbelief and... hope. 

“You love me?” He asked finally, voice quiet. 

“Of course I do!”

“Even when I’m old and you have younger guys hitting on you?” 

Connor slid closer. He found Nick’s hand and gripped it tightly. “You’re not old, shut up. And the only guy I want hitting on me, is you.”

Nick remained hesitant. “I don’t know, Connor...”

“Do you trust me?”

A pause. “Yes. Yes I do.”

The pause made Connor’s heart clench, but the words eased some of the pain. He deserved this, after all. 

“Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation this time and Connor could almost feel a smile forming. 

“Will you let me spend the rest of my life making it up to you, and showing how sorry I am?” 

That sounded awfully like a marriage proposal but oh well. He couldn’t retract it now. 

Nick’s gaze met his, eyes searching for... something. And then he nodded. 

“I must be an idiot too, but yes.”

Connor waited for the briefest of moments, just in case Nick changed his mind and wanted to bail, and then placed a small, but tender kiss on Cutter’s lips. 

It wasn’t passionate or heated, but it signalled the start of a new beginning for them. 

One he wouldn’t screw up.


End file.
